Setup: First, assembly of each label maker was completed. We timed how long it took to take the product out of the box and prepare it for use, and recorded how useful and detailed the included instructions were. Canva’s drag-and-drop tool allows you to create a professional-quality label with no graphic design experience needed. There’s a visible slit all the way around the top, which is where it opens to install the tape. The beige colored label maker that I received is a rather bland color, but it also comes in white and green. Overall, it’s a simple and practical design. Bluetooth is also supported by many label printers, as is Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi Direct. Ethernet and Wi-Fi, of course, make the printer available on your network, so any computer or mobile devices on the network can send it a print job—assuming the proper software is installed. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct create peer-to-peer connections between the printer and a mobile device or PC.

The painting feature was a bit hard to use with my finger, but it worked really well when I tested the app on my iPad Pro and drew the pictures with my Apple Pencil. Those with an artistic flair will undoubtedly be much better able to take advantage of this feature.

A label is the first impression customers get when looking at your product. And in an aisle full of competitors, you want to ensure that your label stands out from the rest. This is where good design comes in. To turn on the L1, I pressed and held the small button on the side for three seconds. A little green LED lit up, letting me know that it was ready to be paired with the app. To turn it off, I held it for another three seconds. Overall value: Overall value was evaluated while thinking about the experience with it and the price tag.

Add or modify special effects. If you need to make the label more eye-catching, you can use Drawtify a series of free and easy-to-use special effects functions, such as brush strokes, shadows, glow, relief, etc., and even 3D effects. With hundreds of designer-made templates, we have taken the guesswork out of spacing, formatting and font pairing—so you can focus on growing your business.If you want your ID to include member photos, you can easily add and edit the photos directly to your card design; no more cutting photos to size and pasting them into your card! Upload your own images through the uploads tab and choose from any JPG, PNG, or SVG file on your computer. From there, it’s a simple matter of dragging and dropping your images to where you need them to be on your design.

Keep in mind that there’s no way to replace the rechargeable battery. Gadgets like the L1 are (unhappily) disposable. Installation and setup Whether you’ve just launched a clothing line, or you’re in the wine business, you can explore our collection of vintage-inspired or modern templates that are suitable for any type of industry. Save and edit as many versions as you like If you are specifically hoping to organize your living space, the Epson LabelWorks PX 300 Label Maker is a superb choice. As we tested, we noticed there are several preloaded fonts, and it also allows you to add customizable text styles, icons, and banners. (Plus, it comes with a lifetime warranty!) Once you have selected a template, you can easily customize it with our intuitive editing tools. Use the design as is and simply fill in the necessary information in the existing text fields or you can play around with the layout and design elements as you see fit. Change the colors to fit your branding or upload a photo of your logo to represent your organization.

To help you find the right option, we tested 13 label makers in a home setting. To get started, we inspected the design, printed tags, and explored the various functions. Then, we evaluated each maker on instructions, assembly, functionality, portability, and overall value. The Epson LabelWorks LW-PX800 delivers solid performance as a heavy-duty standalone label printer. It's a desktop model meant for the office, with the ability to share the printer over a network and connect to mobile devices. Plus, it's covered by a lifetime warranty, and it comes with both Mac and PC label-printing apps. Another important factor in choosing a labeler is deciding how and where you're going to use it, which helps determine what type of connection(s) you need. Many label printers support more than one connection type, but some support only one, with USB being the most common. Not only is it used for connecting to your computer, but for the many labelers that come with internal batteries, it's one of the more common ways to recharge them. Our curated selection of ID cards encompass a variety of layouts, styles and themes that you can use as school ID cards, club membership cards, gym cards, company ID badges and more. We have identification card templates that are appropriate for different types of businesses and industries. If you need a simple and professional design, we have clean and polished layouts that you can customize for your organization. If you’re looking for a kids ID card template, you can be sure you’ll find a cute and creative design that kids will be proud to use. You can browse through our library until something catches your eye or type a description in the search bar to find specific designs that fit your preferences. Drawtify is online graphic design software that can replace most of the design functions of CorelDRAW and InDesign. It not only has a professional vector editor, layout function, photo editor, and typography tools. At the same time, it has built-in rich design plug-ins, huge online resources, and a large number of high-quality editable design templates including tags, making it easier to create tags. Even if you are not a designer, Drawtify can help you easily complete the online creation of all business graphics. Because Drawtify is easy to use and free.

And then there's some options, like the Dymo LabelManager 280 (our best overall), that can work as a standalone gadget or when connected to a computer or phone. Our advice? Go with the device that has the features and functionality that are most important to you, regardless of its label (pun intended). The first step in creating a label is to select continuous or gap. I chose continuous, as this is what is included with the L1. That takes me to the editor where I can add one or more of the following: If you are specifically looking for a desktop labeler, the Brother P-Touch PT- D610BTVP Business Professional Connected Label Maker is our top choice. We want to be clear that we tested an older model, the Brother PTD600 PC-Connectable Labeler. But, with that option now discontinued, and this updated version available in its place, we're excited about the possibilities.

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Rotary-style keyboard: This type of keyboard is not as time-efficient, but typically costs less and condenses the label maker's keyboard into a rotating wheel. For example, our best budget recommendation, the Dymo Organizer Xpress Pro Embossing Label Maker, has a rotary-style design. No ID is complete without the insignia that makes your organization unique. You can keep it simple by adding your logo or get busy with color palettes and themes that encapsulate your brand. Canva’s library of over a million photographs, illustrations, and other design elements makes everything easy and intuitive. Many of these are free while premium elements cost only a dollar. Go to the “Elements” tab to find more shapes, lines, icons or illustrations then change their size or color to reflect your brand image. The biggest difference? The latest version offers Bluetooth capabilities, along with a USB cable that gives you the option to print from a computer or mobile device like your phone. It still has a full QWERTY keyboard for on-the-spot printing, too, as well as a full-color screen and full QWERTY keyboard, plus an impressive selection of fonts and customizable lettering options. One of our favorite features from testing the Brother PTD600 was the ability to power it with an adapter or wirelessly with batteries, and we're happy to report that this is also available in the newer model. REVIEW – Our daughter is getting ready to move into her first apartment, and she’s a bit of an organizer. When she saw the Marklife P11 label maker that I had reviewed for my wife, she decided that she needed one for herself; thus, I’m going to be trying the L1 label maker from MakeID. I plan to use it to label a host of spice jars for her, and I think she will use it further to label her arts and crafts supplies, her journals, and other things. What is it? The VC-500W can print from Windows PCs and both Android and iOS phones and tablets. Image quality for graphics and text was excellent in our tests, offering vibrant color, minimal graininess, and respectable detail, the last thanks to the 313dpi resolution. Photos were also acceptable, though not a match for the best Zink photo printers. The label tapes come in four widths from 9mm to 50mm (0.37 to 1.97 inches) wide, at continuous lengths of 16.4 feet. Who It's For